Huracan return to Estadio Adolfo Duco on Monday on a five-match unbeaten run at home in all competitions as they prepare to face Union.
Globo have drawn their previous two league fixtures versus Godoy Cruz and Sarmiento 0-0, while El Tate have points in back-to-back away games in the Argentine Primera Division, defeating Central Cordoba 1-0 in their last match.
Match preview
A campaign that began promisingly for Sebastian Battaglia's men has hit an impasse, with Quemeros winning just one of their previous 13 domestic encounters after winning their opening three.
The demands of playing in the Primera Division and the Copa Sudamericana seem to have affected their play in the league, with four of their seven domestic defeats coming after the Sudamericana kicked off.
While they are in a solid position to advance out of the Sudamericana group stage, currently second on five points, Huracan are making it difficult on themselves to return to that competition next season, sitting 21st in the first phase of the Primera Division campaign and eight points behind one of those coveted spots.
They scored nine goals in their opening four Primera encounters but have been unable to maintain much consistency in the attack since then, scoring a mere six times in their previous 13 domestic affairs while failing to find the back of the net in their last three.
Throughout the season, their high press has been a saving grace, with Globo looking particularly dangerous on the counter.
Three matches without a goal can feel like a long time, but for Union, the attacking woes seem to be never-ending, netting fewer times than anyone in the Argentine top flight this year (nine), failing to score on eight occasions.
Currently dead-last in the table with 12 points, this team have been littered with flaws throughout the season, giving the ball away far too often and struggling to defend against teams out wide.
Since the appointment of Sebastian Mendez in the middle of April, they have at least looked sharper along the back end, posting three clean sheets domestically over their previous five fixtures.
The odd time when they find the back of the net, it has usually come later on, scoring just once in the first half of this competition since the beginning of March.
Union have fared well versus Huracan over the past few years, unbeaten in six successive matches against them in all competitions, holding them off the scoresheet four times.
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- L
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- W
Team News
Gaston Sauro is probably at least another week away from fully healing from his muscle injury, while Matias Coccaro is eligible to return for Huracan following his red card in their draw to Godoy Cruz.
Lucas Chavez has not conceded in back-to-back league fixtures, while Juan Gauto has been their leading provider, tied for second in the league regarding assists with four, three fewer than Ignacio Malcorra of Rosario Central.
Goals from Santiago Hezze and Jonas Acevedo helped them gain a pair of leads in their previous Sudamericana clash before conceding an 86th-minute equaliser to Emelec striker Miller Bolanos in a 2-2 draw.
Mendez added several new faces to his Union starting 11 versus Central Cordoba, including Claudio Corvalan, Nicolas Paz, Joaquin Mosqueira, Gaston Comas and Jeronimo Domina.
An 87th-minute strike from Enzo Roldan was all they would need to best Cordoba last week, as Santiago Mele stopped the seven shots he faced for the shutout.
Imanol Machuca, who leads Union with two goals domestically this season, has not scored in this competition since levelling their match with Barracas Central back in February, helping his side claim a 1-1 draw.
Huracan possible starting lineup:
Chavez; Soto, Pizarro, Novillo, Souto; Hezze, Godoy; Mazzanti, Acevedo, Gomez; Cordero
Union possible starting lineup:
Mele; Vera, Paz, Calderon, Corvalan, Esquivel; Roldan, Mosqueira, Luna; Machuca, Marabel
We say: Huracan 1-0 Union
Even though Huracan are not in great form at the moment, they face a team with little to no quality in the attacking third, who struggle in the air and give the ball away plenty, all things that the home team have been pretty sharp at this season.
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